Baby in Bloom Cupcakes Buttercream (Printable)

Vanilla cupcakes adorned with vibrant buttercream flowers, perfect for festive spring gatherings.

# Components:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ For the Buttercream Flowers

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring in pink, yellow, green, and purple as desired

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in pure vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in the milk, then add the remaining flour mixture, mixing until the batter is smooth and uniform.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each cavity approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before decorating.
08 - Beat softened butter on medium speed using an electric mixer for approximately 2 minutes until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly.
09 - Add vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream to the buttercream. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add additional milk as needed to reach proper piping consistency.
10 - Divide the buttercream into separate bowls and add food coloring drops to each portion, mixing thoroughly to achieve desired pink, yellow, green, and purple hues.
11 - Fit piping bags with assorted flower and leaf piping tips such as Wilton 104, 352, or 1M. Fill each piping bag with differently colored buttercream.
12 - Pipe various decorative flowers and leaves onto the cooled cupcakes, using different colors and piping techniques to create a garden blooming effect across the tops of each cupcake.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Vanilla that's genuinely subtle and sweet without tasting like extract, letting the buttercream flowers be the real star.
  • The piping part feels like a secret skill you're suddenly allowed to have, even if your first flower looks a little wonky.
  • These stay soft and fresh for days, which means you can actually bake them ahead without stress.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they blend smoothly and create a more stable batter that bakes evenly, while cold ingredients create an uneven crumb.
  • Gel coloring changes everything; liquid food coloring adds so much water that your buttercream becomes impossible to pipe, so make the switch if you haven't already.
  • Piping flowers looks intimidating until your hands understand the motion, then suddenly it feels natural—practice makes this true, not just something people say.
03 -
  • A crumb coat—a thin layer of frosting applied first, then chilled—keeps loose crumbs out of your beautiful piped flowers and takes the whole thing from homemade to polished.
  • If a piped flower doesn't look right, a small dab of frosting and a leaf covering the mistake makes it intentional instead of a visible error.
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